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Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

American, 1931-1987

A designer and sculptor, Paul Evans was a wild card of late 20th century modernism. A leading light of the American Studio Furniture movement, Evans’s sideboards, credenzas, coffee tables and other work manifests a singular aesthetic sense, as well as a seemingly contradictory appreciation for both folk art forms and for new materials and technologies.

Evans’s primary material was metal, not wood, which was favored by his fellow studio designers, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, neighbors George Nakashima and Phillip Lloyd Powell. He trained in metallurgy and studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, the famed crucible of modern design and art in suburban Detroit. For a time early in his career, Evans also worked at Sturbridge Village, a historical “living museum” in Massachusetts, where he gave demonstrations as a costumed silversmith.

Evans’s earliest work unites these influences. The pieces that made his reputation are known as “sculpted-front” cabinets: wood cases faced with box-like high-relief patinated steel mounts laid out in a grid pattern. Each mount contains a metal emblem, or glyph, and the effect is that of a brawny quilt.

Evans’s later work falls into three distinct style groups. His sculpted-bronze pieces, begun in the mid-1960s, show Evans at his most expressive. He employed a technique in which resin is hand-shaped, and later sprayed with a metal coating, allowing for artistic nuance in the making of chairs, tables and case pieces. Later in the decade and into the 1970s, Evans produced his Argente series for celebrated manufacturer Directional (​​a brand known to vintage mid-century modern furniture collectors everywhere): consoles and other furniture forms that feature aluminum and pigment-infused metal surfaces welded into abstract organic forms and patterns.

Last, Evans's Cityscape design series — a milestone in the history of brutalist design — meshed perfectly with the sleek, “high tech” sensibility of the later ’70s. Evans constructed boxy forms and faced them with irregular mosaic patterns that mixed rectangular plaques of chromed steel, bronze or burlwood veneer. These, like all of Paul Evans’s designs, are both useful and eye-catching. But their appeal has another, more visceral quality: these pieces have clearly been touched by an artist’s hand.

Find a collection of authentic Paul Evans furniture today on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Paul Evans
Important Welded Steel Deep Relief Sculpted Credenza by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Montreal, QC
Important welded steel 4 door "Deep Relief Sculpted Credenza" with hand-painted enamels on doors inset with two slate tops The interior red painted w...
Category

1960s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Steel

Pair Paul Evans Bracket Shape Burl Walnut Polished Chrome Hanging Shelves Mint
By Paul Evans
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Pair of signed Paul Evans bracket shape burl walnut polished chrome hanging shelves Mint!
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Chrome

Paul Evans Floating Shelf
By Paul Evans
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
This cityscape floating wall shelf designed by Paul Evans in the 1970's features a brass patchwork design brackets and clear glass shelf. Signed as pictured. Wear is consistent with ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Brass

Paul Evans Custom Cityscape Etageres with Lighting, Signed, c. 1970s
By Paul Evans
Located in Dallas, TX
Enhance your mid-century modern decor with the exclusive Paul Evans Custom Cityscape Etageres with Lighting, Signed, c. 1970s. These remarkable pieces were custom-made for their orig...
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Chrome

Paul Evans Cityscape Patchwork Burlwood Wall Floating Credenza
By Paul Evans
Located in Toledo, OH
Paul Evans Cityscape patchwork burlwood floating credenza. This stunning long mid-century Paul Evans credenza is comprised of two file cabinets with 14.5" interior width and two cent...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Wood

Cabinet Credenza Phillip Lloyd Powell and Paul Evans
By Phillip Lloyd Powell, Paul Evans
Located in Atlanta, GA
From the early collaboration between two New Hope craftsmen Phillip Lloyd Powell and Paul Evans, came this stunning piece of furniture that epitomizes their individual artistic aesth...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Slate, Iron

Important Welded Polychrome and Gilt Steel Cabinet by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in Montreal, QC
Important welded polychrome and gilt steel cabinet by Paul Evans, inset with slate top. Welded signature.    
Category

1970s American Brutalist Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Steel

Excellent Paul Evans Chrome Cityscape Credenza Mid-Century Modern
By Paul Evans
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Excellent Paul Evans chrome Cityscape credenza. This piece is in remarkable condition because it was covered with a piece of glass for the last ...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Chrome

Mid Century Paul Evans Cityscape Wall Mirror & Console Table Shelf in Brass
By Paul Evans, Directional
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An incredible design combination, a cityscape wall shelf and mirror designed by Paul Evans in the 1970's. The set features fine heavy construction with brass clad patchwork design. I...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Brass

Paul Evans Cityscape Mid Century Burl Wood Floating Display Cabinet
By Paul Evans
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Paul Evans cityscape Mid Century burl wood floating display cabinet Measures: 24.5 wide x 13.75 deep x 48.25 inches high This price includes getting this piece in what we call res...
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Burl

Set Paul Evans for Directional Chrome Brass Cityscape Shelf Brackets Console
By Paul Evans
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Stunning set signed Paul Evans for Directional shelf brackets or console tables. The glass is not pictured but is included and is 12" w x 48" l and is brand new. This set is truly fa...
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1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Brass, Chrome

Cityscape Buffet by Paul Evans
By Paul Evans
Located in PARIS, FR
Paul Evans — Commode buffet Acier chromé et brossé, fibre de verre laquée H. 81 x L. 140 x P. 60 cm Chrome and brushed steel, fiberglass lacquered top H. 31.8 x W. 55 x 23.6 in...
Category

1970s Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Steel

Paul Evans, 72'' Wall-mounted Sculpted Bronze Disc Bar
By Paul Evans
Located in New York, NY
A dynamic hand-sculpted, wall-mounted cabinet, Paul Evans’ Disc Bar, is arguably one of Evans’ most iconic designs. The sculptural design is monume...
Category

1970s American Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Bronze

Important Rare Paul Evans, Cylindrical Console, Wavy Front Credenza C. 1980's
By Paul Evans
Located in Culver City, CA
Calling all serious collectors and lovers of glam—this is not just a credenza; it’s a showstopper, a one-of-a-kind, super rare prototype straight from the genius mind of Paul Evans. Let’s get one thing clear: this piece isn’t just furniture; it’s a statement, a mood, a literal golden wave of fabulousness. Originally owned by the legendary Todd Merrill (yes, that Todd Merrill—master of modern design and author of Modern Americana), this baby was snapped up by a private collector before making its way to us. And let me tell you, it’s dripping in glam from top to bottom. This Cylindrical Console (measuring a jaw-dropping 96” long, 32” tall, and 26” deep) was a prototype floor model from Evans' final design studio in NYC—his post-Pennsylvania chapter, when he was at the height of his boundary-pushing creativity. This is 1980s excess at its absolute finest. Picture it: brass-plated steel shimmering like a pool of liquid gold, with a wavy, undulating front—three connected cylinders flowing together in a perfectly elegant squiggle. It’s not just a visual feast; it’s a party for your living room. Each cylinder pulls open (hello, semi-circles!) to reveal luxuriously upholstered tan suede shelves inside. That’s right—three shelves per cylinder, giving you all the storage you could dream of, but with a touch of decadence. Oh, and did we mention the wheels? Yes, each cylinder moves like a dream. There are also 3 laminated, moveable shelves on the inside so you can store as much as you'd like. The top? Clad in crisp white plexiglass for that extra hit of 80s glam. This credenza was the final visual iteration of Evans’ experimental genius. It’s more than a piece of furniture; it’s history, art, and design all rolled into one. And because it’s a prototype, you won’t find another like it anywhere. This is the Paul Evans piece for the collector who already has everything—except this. A little on Evans -- Paul Evans—an iconic American designer who’s often associated with the Studio Craft movement—wasn’t just creating furniture; he was crafting art. Known for his sculptural, metallic designs, Evans blurred the line between function and form with his unique metalworking techniques, often blending bronze, copper, and steel into futuristic, brutalist shapes. He was constantly innovating, and this Cylindrical Console is a perfect example of his creative genius. Evans worked alongside Philip Lloyd Powell and was just down the street from the legendary George Nakashima in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Both Evans and Powell created some of the most groundbreaking and collectible furniture of the 20th century. While Powell leaned into the organic, hand-carved wood aesthetic, Evans went full throttle with high-gloss metals, merging craftsmanship with avant-garde artistry. By the time this prototype was made in the 1980s, Evans had moved to New York City, leaving his Pennsylvania roots behind and embracing a new, highly reflective, glamorous aesthetic. His partnership with Directional Furniture solidified his place as a master of bold, modern design. His pieces, like this one, have become legendary in the world of design collecting—fetching top-tier prices for their rarity and unmistakable style. About Todd Merrill Todd Merrill, a tastemaker in his own right, has spent decades curating some of the finest examples of 20th-century American furniture and Studio Craft. He’s known for representing top-tier designers and artists, both contemporary and classic, in his New York gallery, Todd Merrill Studio. His influence extends into the world of rare and custom furniture, often showcasing unique, one-of-a-kind pieces much like this stunning Paul Evans prototype. Todd Merrill is a legend in our (antique dealers) industry. The man was writing Modern Americana while I was sitting in Comm Theory class in college. With this piece you’re not just buying a credenza—you’re investing in an unforgettable slice of design history. Glam, bold, and just oozing with charisma, this Paul Evans prototype is not just sexy—it’s the conversation piece that will have your guests swooning. This piece is currently in our gallery alongside a Gabriella Crespi coffee table...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Paul Evans Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

Materials

Brass, Steel

Paul Evans case pieces and storage cabinets for sale on 1stDibs.

Paul Evans case pieces and storage cabinets are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Paul Evans case pieces and storage cabinets, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original case pieces and storage cabinets by Paul Evans were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider case pieces and storage cabinets by Milo Baughman, Harvey Probber, and Florence Knoll. Prices for Paul Evans case pieces and storage cabinets can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,900 and can go as high as $220,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $24,000.

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